


Daughters Of Atlas

by paisley_print



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fantasy, Game of Thrones-esque, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:08:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29112087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paisley_print/pseuds/paisley_print
Summary: “Ensure the safe return of the girl and you will get your ship.”A deal that would place The Mandalorian in the middle of decades old conflict between two ruling families. Din must choose between aiding the princesses' plot for revenge or leaving Atlas with his life.(Takes place after the events of Season Two)IN PROGRESS
Relationships: Din Djarin/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 10





	1. The Hunter

“All live to die, and rise to fall.”― Christopher Marlowe, Edward II

Ino looked from the bent iron fire poker up to the man cloaked in beskar. In one fluid motion dropped the stick, hiked up her skirts, and fled on foot. Ino had no sense of where she was going, only that it was going to be as far away from The Mandalorian as possible. Once she entered the treeline, she dared a glance behind her at the small cottage from which she fled. The scene left her bewildered to say the very least; the cottage and the clearing were as unassuming as ever. She continued to charge on, further into the foliage - her path lit only by slivers of moonlight and bioluminescent flowers

Ino slowed to a stop after running for another twenty minutes. She held her breath and waited for a moment, still nothing. It couldn’t have been that easy, she thought. Maybe the stories of her childhood were fabricated after all. An animal called from a tree high above her head. The realization washed over her. Ino now faced a new challenge, getting out. The sun would not rise again for another three wake cycles however, she would need to come up with a plan. Would he be waiting for her to return to her cottage? Should she even attempt to return, or should she press on deeper in a desperate hope to reach another settlement?

These thoughts were cut short at the snap of a twig somewhere in the distance. She whipped her head around to place the source….she couldn’t. She felt as though she was being watched from every angle and any sudden movement would spur an attack.

Another snapping sound came from behind her. From the darkness emerged a creature like none she had ever seen before. Large scales formed thick jagged plates over the creature’s body. Three pointed horns jutted out from atop its head, elongating its already horrifying size. The creature craned its neck and opened its mouth - Ino realized that the snapping sound she had heard was not coming from their environment but being engineered by the creature. It moved its head while it emitted a series of clicks and croaks from its throat - it was blind; she realized. It was using the noises to map out its surroundings. If she could say quiet until it passes, she might survive -

A large bang rang out behind her - the creature roared and charged. Ino dropped to her knees and covered her hands, bracing herself for the inevitable when- it never came. She glanced up and saw the creature face down in the brush. What in the world - A blunt object was pressed to her back while a leather boot stepped into her peripheral. 

“Stand” the voice behind her said. Even though he was right behind her, the microphone of the helmet filtered his voice in such a way that made it seem some ways away.

“And if I don’t” Ino shot back. The Mandalorian stayed silent. “I know you can’t touch me - I know that was the order that they gave. And if you don’t bring me in alive, then it’s you who will have a bounty on your head.”

The Mandalorian issued the same command a little more forcefully this time “stand.”

Ino did not waver “and if I don-” suddenly a sharp pain radiated through her back. She felt the air get snatched from her lungs as a flash of heat seemed to cut through her. The feeling was stopped as quickly as it began. She gasped and fell forward onto the soil, clutching her stomach.

“Stand” he said again.

She stayed on the ground until she felt the object dig a little harder into her back, then finally gave in. Defeated, she pulled herself from the forest floor and groaned at the throbbing pain radiating from her back.

As soon as she was on her feet, he spoke again “walk.”

She did as she was told, all the while trying to come up with a plan of escape. “Did Balther send you?” She was met with silence. “How much did he pay you- because I am certain that I can match it, exceed it even,” more silence. She was growing more and more frustrated with each step forward. “I thought Mandalorians are supposed to be people of honour. How you can serve such a vile man is beyond comprehension….I am certain that your kind must be embarrassed by you.” Still nothing, she would need to find some other means of getting information.

The Mandalorian marched her past her cottage and around her settlement. She could see candlelights flickering in windows behind curtains. She could scream, but she was worried what fate would become any resident who tried to help her. For three months she had lived in blissful anonymity. The escape had been orchestrated perfectly, so how was it he tracked her down? She racked her brain for any missteps she could have taken, but came up with nothing. Ino had been so careful. Now the residents would emerge from their sleep cycles to find her home abandoned. What would they think happened to her?


	2. The Hunted

“Get in,” the Mandalorian said.

Ino looked at the vessel skeptically and crossed her arms. “I would prefer to sit in the front-”

His rifle came down on her shoulder hard and urged her to the ground. Ino fell to her knees, then pushed herself up to a standing position. She screamed at him and adjusted her dress. “You doshin’ tin can! Thinking you have any right to -” blaster fire hit the speeder, she ducked.

“What were you saying?” Din shot back sarcastically, “get in.” He jumped to his feet and squeezed off a few rounds before opening the door and sliding into the driver’s seat. Ino was sitting next to him in the passenger seat. “No” he pointed behind him “in the back.”

She lifted her chin haughtily and shot him a dangerous glare. “No.”

Another shower of gunfire rained down upon them.

Din sighed in frustration, “fine- hold on.” With that, the ship lurched into motion and raced through the wide expanse of flatland.

The blaster fire ceased…. Thank God Ino thought.

Two speeder bikes moved into view; flanking each side of the truck.

Well Shit…

Din pushed another button, and the truck accelerated. He navigated the vessel impressively, dodging between bursts of gunfire, anticipating each fresh attack. A third bike crept up on them from behind until it was almost in view. At the last moment It darted out in front and pivoted, clipping the truck and plunging it into a barrel roll.

Ino squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth at the feeling of sudden weightlessness. The ship spun once, twice, three times more until Din pulled back on the flight stick and regained control of the ship. A warning signal blared from the speakers while lights flashed wildly around the control board. The impact of the collusion caused the door of the cargo hold to rip off - leaving a gaping hole with which their attackers directed their baster fire.

The Mandalorian grumbled something under his breath - pulled his blaster from its holster and held it out to her. “Here”

She grabbed it with two fingers and kept it held out in front of her. “What do you expect me to do with this?”

“Hold it” he replied- then pulled himself up from the driver’s seat and maneuvered back into the cargo hold.

The ship jumped, Ino’s hand shot out to grab the flight sick. The wind entering the cabin and the sound of the alarms was deafening. “Have you lost your mind!?” she yelled back to him.

“Just drive” he ordered, grabbed the blaster, and started firing at the men from the cargo hold.

She jumped into the driver’s seat and tried her best to keep the ship steady. One bike sped up next to the driver’s side window. She glanced over to see the man raise his blaster at her head. Without a second thought, she tightened her grip on the flight stick and jerked them to the left. The bike disappeared behind them. A loud thud sounded from the cargo hold.

“Dank farrik!” Din growled, “a little warning next time!”

A smug smile appeared on her lips “sorry!”

With one speeder down they still had two to go - she noticed in the distance that the meadow gave way to the sky. She squinted and quickly realized what it was. After ancient underground river systems dried- the soil atop of them caved in. The entire landscape of Atlas was riddled with these deep scars. Each ravine reached depths of a thousand feet… perhaps more.

She cursed- then tilted her head slightly to yell behind her. “Try to hurry up back there!”

The Mandalorian took cover behind the truck’s wall just as a blast raced past his head and burnt a hole in the metal behind him. He turned his head to address her and noticed the cause of her urgency. Thinking quickly, he turned back to the doors and deployed the fiber cord whip on his wrist. It wrapped itself around the metal shelf of the cargo hold, then around the handlebars of both bikes; successfully tethering them to the truck. “We’re going to have to jump!” he said, moving towards her.

“Oh absolutely not!” she screamed- still looking straight ahead.

“Take my hand” he commanded. She could feel his grip on the back of the driver’s seat chair.

“I’m-” she let out a cry of frustration, whipped around, and took hold of his gloved hand. Din hauled her upward and wrapped an arm around her waist- steadying her. He clicked a button on his arm cuff and the door on the opposite side slid open. Flashes of color raced past them and Ino was suddenly aware of just how hard her heart was pounding against her ribcage.

“Now!” His arm squeezed her waist in an attempt to prop her up as much as possible. He used his jetpack to soften most of the blow- though it still wasn’t enough to completely stop them from rolling and skidding onto the grass. Ino grunted and turned over just in time to see the truck fall over the edge of the cliff… followed closely by the two bikes.

Her head fell back against the grass. Somewhere in the distance she could hear the rushing of water. Her eyes closed and her diaphragm raised as she drew in a slow breath. Her voice was soft when she finally spoke “why were they after you?”

“They weren’t,” he said. She turned her head to look at him. “They were after you.”

She scoffed, “no honor among criminals then?”


	3. The Starved

“You’re bleeding” Din’s voice was full of concern as he reached over to brush the hair from her face.

Ino moved away instinctively….. though she wished she hadn’t. He pulled his hand back immediately; the gears turning in his mind.

-

They spent much of the day walking in silence. As much as she tried, Ino could not keep her thoughts from wandering.

She replayed the encounter repeatedly in her mind. Each time getting high off of the adrenaline, the memory still provided. She could still feel the way his hand took hold of hers. Strong, warm, probably smooth from being protected by leather all day. She shivered at the thought of his arm wrapped around her too. What she wouldn’t give to be held by him again. To have his unexposed hands roaming her bare skin. Warm, curious fingers feeling every inch of her-

“How’s your head?” The Mandalorian asked after what seemed to be an eternity of silence.

She needed to stop this- she needed to focus. Her lust for him was not based out of reason, but rather out of need. They had denied her touch for so long she was unaware that she was starving. Now, with even the smallest taste, her body would not stop demanding more. Perhaps she could make him do it one more time, provoke him to- no. It was thoughts like these that we’re going to lead to her demise. She was too smart to fall victim to such base desires when more pressing matters were at play. 

“Yes” she responded, then suddenly realized what he had asked her. “It’s fine, thank you. A scratch.”

He stopped in front of her and tilted his head a little. Ino knitted her brows at him, then glanced to the side awkwardly. God, that silence made her uncomfortable…. “So are we just going to stand here?-”

“I wasn’t supposed to touch you,” he said.

“Hmm?”

“I wasn’t supposed to touch you” he repeated.

He almost sounded…. upset? With who? Himself? Perhaps he likened that order to whatever custom bound him to his suit.

Ino gave a polite half smile. She was terrible at navigating situations of high emotion; any display of it just embarrassed her. “Yes, well, I won’t tell.”

He paused for a moment, “I’m sorry if-” 

She started walking away from him before he had even finished speaking. The light of the village acted as her guide. “Hurry along” she spoke to him as if he had been one of her droid servants back home. After a moment, it was clear that he was not about to follow her. She halted her step. “Unless you rather me stand here until the sun rises while you snivel about your feelings?” 

His silence was enough of a response for her. “Right. That’s what I thought.”

Din trailed a little ways behind as she pushed forward.

-

The village was a common waypoint for many traveling between the two largest cities of Atlas. Although it was small, it was bustling with people. Strings of lanterns hung from buildings and cast the street in a warm amber glow. The villagers didn’t notice them at first, but soon enough there were dozens of people staring slack jawed at the pair. Atlas’s lost princess escorted by a Mandalorian. It was a story not soon believed by anyone unable to bear witness to it. Ino held her head high and stepped lightly on her feet as she passed by; all the while her stomach was tied in a tight knot. 

Acquiring lodging was not hard. The owner of the inn was happy to give them the largest suite they had……. Ino was starting to realize how the Mandalorian found her so easily. She would definitely need to change her appearance next time she fled. As soon as Ino was inside, she walked into the bedroom and locked the door behind her.

A plan needed to be made… the wind blew the smell of the pub next door into the window. Suddenly the room was filled with the comforting aroma of vegetables swimming in butter and meat roasting over charcoal. Holy hell, she was hungry.

Ino cringed as the door creaked open. Carefully, she peaked out into the little sitting area they had. The Mandalorian was sitting on the couch, arms folded, seemingly staring straight ahead….. although it was more likely he was just resting his eyes beneath the helmet. Ugh, so unnerving, she thought bitterly.

She slipped through the cracked door and was about to leave when a voice came from behind her.

“Where are you going?”

“To the pub- to get food. Would you like me to pick up some oil for you to drink?”

“I’m not a droid. ”

Ino suppressed a smile. “Pardon me- easy mistake.”

He stood from the couch. “Have the innkeeper send someone for you.”

She kept her hand on the handle of the door. “They are not my servants, therefore I will not bother them with such silly tasks.” She pulled the door forward at the same time Din’s hand shot out and stopped it.

Ino whipped around to face him, features twisted in anger. “And what? You’re going to zap me with that little stick of yours? You forget that I have power over you now. Balthar will kill you if he finds out you put your hands on his bride.”

The Mandalorian was as unwavering as stone. This made her even more irate. She looked him square in the face, her voice dripping with venom as she spoke. “I have spent all day taking orders from you. And I am sick of it. You do not deserve to be near me. Most do not get within a hundred yards of me without dropping to their knees and worshiping the very ground I walk on. Yet you come along, a dirty drifter from some backwater planet, and have the audacity to force me into submission. You don’t have any power here- so start showing me some respect. You can start by taking this off while you’re in my presence-” she lunged forward and attempted to lift his helmet. 

Two hands found their way to her arms and yanked them down. He swiped at her legs with his foot and brought up against the wall. His one hand kept both wrists pinned behind her back.

“I’ll take my chances” he said smugly 

She struggled against his hold on her and screamed as loud as she could. She was yanked backwards from the wall while his free hand came up to cover her mouth. She used this to her advantage, taking one of his fingers in her mouth and biting down as hard as she could. As soon as she felt his grip loosen, she darted towards the door. She had not made it ten feet before feeling a sharp tug on her hair. Fingers curled in a fist around the base of her scalp and locked on to a sizable chunk of her gold locks. She screamed again and flailed her arms in an awkward attempt to land a punch. It did not work. He made her follow alongside him- her feet doing a weird side step over one another while she struggled to match his long strides.

The door to their suite was slammed closed with such a force it knocked the painting from its nail on the wall. Glass shattered and dispersed along the hardwood. A part of her reveled in the fact that he was angry - it had meant that she had hit her mark. This was short-lived, however, when she realized where he was taking her. He had pulled her into the bedroom and swung open the closet door. In one swift motion, he had let go of her hair and used one hand to push her forward- sending her stumbling into the tiny dark space. The door was shut before she could even make it to her feet.

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

She pulled herself up and banged on the door as hard as she could. It didn’t move at all. He must have used something to prop it closed from the outside. She let out a frustrated cry and continued to throw blows at the door until she was out of breath. Not a single sound could be heard from the bedroom. Was he even there?

Ino decided to plead with him anyway, he was capable of feeling. He had just proved that to her. If only she could gain his sympathy…. there might be hope for her yet.

“I’m-” she sighed “If the stories that they told me as a child are true, then I believe you are a good man. Balthar is a tyrant who raped and murdered my sister for not giving him an heir. I will endure the same fate if you deliver me to him. You are the one who forced me out of hiding. You are the one who caused me to fight.”

She took a seat on the floor.

“This planet had been under the rule of my ancestors for generations. Balthar’s father and a group of noblemen took arms against us. Their army of mercenaries used our people as their weapon. Entire villages were leveled overnight- reduced to smoldering piles of scorched soil. Thousands of innocent lives taken in his unceasing pursuit of control. The king, my grandfather, yielded to him in order to save lives. Upon abdication my family was forced into servitude where we remained as slaves….. spoils of a war we never attempted to fight.”

She let her head fall back against the wall and shut her eyes. Their long day’s journey had hit her all at once. “We would have stayed that way if it wasn’t for Balthar. As soon as he came to power, he was pressured to produce an heir. He tried many a time but could not - cursed, some say. The people of Atlas believe that only royal blood can produce heirs, so he took my sister. He used her - beat her, the letters she wrote to my mother……”

Ino felt as though she could cry, but the tears would not form. 

“After a few years of trying, it was decided that the reason my sister was unable to have a child was because of her ‘impurity’. Another man had touched her before her marriage and because of that the gods branded her infertile. I was born out of desperation - both from my father’s hope of regaining his land and Balthar’s need to have a son. Balthar feared his next bride would also end up corrupted, so he took extreme measures to guard my purity. They ripped me from my mother’s womb and placed me in chambers where I stayed locked and guarded my entire life. Save for festivals when they paraded me around and displayed me like a trophy for the capital. All my life I have been raised by droids - they fed me, washed me, clothed me. I-”

No, she couldn’t say that, she couldn’t make herself that vulnerable to him. She assumed he must know that he had been the first person to touch her in many years. To say it would seem distasteful. 

“I will be wed to Balthar upon my return to the palace…… Please, I am not looking for anything more than for you to release me.” 

She paused. The open window in the bedroom allowed the noise from outside to drift in. Somebody was singing in the street.

“I am not sure what he is holding over your head but I can promise you whatever it is I can do my best to help.”

Why was she even trying, nobody was listening? 

Slowly, she surrendered herself to sleep. Lulled there by the melody floating up from the street below.


	4. The Jailbird

Ino woke to a feeling of someone nudging her foot. She squinted through the candlelight until her eyes focused on a large figure silhouetted in the doorway. She drew in a sharp breath and jumped away, subsequently knocking the back of her head on the closet wall. Oh, yes - the tin can. She placed both hands on her head and curled onto her side- enduring the throbbing pain in waves. “A knock on the door would have been sufficient to wake me” she huffed.

“Sorry” he responded… clearly a little amused.

She propped herself up on one arm to speak to him “well what is it?”

“I brought you food” he said simply “it’s on the table.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “… and I’m allowed out?”

“As long as you don’t try to run again- yes” he stepped aside to let her pass.

She moved past him slowly. Her intention was to make it seem as if she was choosing to eat, not that she absolutely needed it. It was a petty thing to do; she understood that. However; it was important to her to feel as though she had a choice. The chair creaked as she sat down at the small two person dinette across from the couch. For a moment she thought he was going to sit across from her, but he kept his distance and chose the couch instead.

Ino took a seat and smoothed out her skirts. “How long was I asleep for?”

“About an hour,” he responded.

She nodded and turned away from him to eat. It was the best chicken she ever had, though that could have been because she hadn’t eaten in a day. She glanced over to him, then at her own food. Did he get himself something? Why did she even care if he ate or not? After several failed attempts to enjoy her own meal, she gave in. Her mind would not stop fixating on his well being…. of all things. She nudged the bowl of vegetables over a few inches with an abruptness that caused Din’s head to jerk up. Defeated she spoke “here.”

He put his hands up in protest “that’s for you.”

“What did you eat?”

Din was incredibly caught off guard by what was happening. “… broth.”

“That’s hardly a meal - here this is yours” she stood and placed the bowl down on the coffee table in front of him. He started to speak again, but Ino cut him off. “I’m allergic - makes my face swell and my throat get all tight. Could kill me even.”

He couldn’t tell if she was lying - but he also didn’t want to fight with her. He knew how stubborn she could be. “Thank you.”

She nodded and sat back down to finish her meal “Yep.”

She listened to the chatter of the villagers below, then suddenly a flash of light caught her attention. She looked over to The Mandalorian, who was making himself busy rolling a little metal ball through his fingers. He placed the sphere on the table, then dragged off each glove. Naked hands placed worn leather down on the table, then took up the sphere again.

He cradled it in his palms - as if it was made of the most delicate glass. Slowly and lovingly he studied the way the sphere glinted in the golden candlelight. A softness had ebbed its way through his firm exterior for the first time since they met, cold unwavering beskar never looked so human.

She almost felt guilty being a witness to this moment, but he was just so beautiful sitting there….. Suddenly her words from earlier that day came back into her mind ‘born from some backwater planet.’ They hit her with a sharp jab, she cringed. It was wrong to say that to him, she had wanted to get a rise from him, but the comment was entirely uncalled for. He was just doing his job. She did not know what sort of circumstance had brought him to Atlas. He was not to blame for her situation. In fact, it might very well be that he is just as much of an unwilling participant in all of this as she was.

This realization made her feel even more guilty about what she said. In truth, she was terrified. She had been shown the sky. Let free like a bird soaring high above the clouds, feeling the sun on her face and the wind in her hair… going back to a life of captivity would prove unbearable.

She placed her fork down and put her hands over her eyes. Hot tears rolling down her cheeks while she sobbed silently.

She stayed that way for a few minutes until a soft voice rang out next to her.

“Why don’t you get some rest.”

She did not move, the weight of the past few months washed over her all at once. She felt entirely overwhelmed. A small whimper escaped her lips as she shook her head. Her hands still covering her face.

“Hey” he knelt down beside her and placed a hand on the back of her chair.

“I’m sorry what I said to you” she confessed through ragged breaths “I wasn’t thinking.”

Din was at a loss for what to do - he wanted to comfort her but he didn’t know how. “…. that’s alright…. Here-” he took the unused cloth napkin from the other side of the table. “Lift your hands” he waited for a moment, then spoke again “Ino.”

She took one more long breath, then she slowly pulled back and looked at him through watery eyes.

Din made sure not to touch her as he patted the cloth against her face gently, drying up the tears. His voice was soft while he spoke “we’ve had a long day, I think you should lie down.”

There was so much she wanted to say to him at that moment, but she couldn’t. Instead, she nodded and let him stand before doing so herself. Her body ached as she walked into the bedroom and shut the door. She stripped until she was only in her undergarments, a satin floor length camisole, then buried herself in the sheets.

-

Din was asleep on the sofa, still in his full suit of armor. He was lying on his side, one arm folded under the pillow when he heard a soft -

“Mando.”

He lifted his head slowly from the pillow and attempted to blink the sleep away from his eyes. Kneeling in front of him was the princess, wrapped in a bed sheet as if it were some elegant white mantle. His voice was even more gritty than usual “are you okay?”

Ino pulled the blanket tighter around herself “I’m freezing.”

The Mandalorian sighed and sat up, “I’ll see if the innkeeper has an extra blanket.”

“Or I can lie with you.”

He stopped dead in his tracks.

Ino felt more bold than she had in many years. If she was going to be locked up in a few weeks, she was determined to do as much living as possible. Starting with this…..

He tilted his head slightly, “I don’t think -”

She stopped him “I already gave you my word that I will not tell Balthar… I intend to keep that promise.”

He hesitated, then finally “fine.”

She smiled and crawled up next to him. At first it wasn’t terribly comfortable, his armor made it seem more like she was laying up against a wall. Her body twitched at the feeling of his cold metal chest plate connecting with the bare skin of her upper back. Once she was settled in however, the only thing she felt was utter bliss. All her life she dreamed about what it would be like to sleep next to someone. To be so close to another human that the cadence of their breath was something tangible. It felt better than she had ever imagined. She held her own breath in order to focus on the feeling. Pressure pushing against her back, ebbing and flowing as his lungs drew in air and released it. She smiled and fell back into her own rhythm.

They stayed like that for a long time, just enjoying the comfortable silence. Din was the first to break it “I’ll help you. You won’t have to be his trophy any longer. ”

Ino felt an incredible sense of relief engulf her. Finally, she was not alone.

His hand fell to rest on her waist.

“Can I..” she started and trailed off, embarrassed at the request.

He hummed; an encouragement for her to continue.

“…..your gloves?”

For a terrified moment she thought she had pushed too far, that was until his arm reached around her to pull the gloves from his right hand and then his left.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes” she said in a voice just barely above a whisper.

Warmth. Pure, unfiltered warmth radiating through his hands. She could even feel it through the fabric of her camisole. Slowly, she moved a trembling hand up the length of her body until she reached his; still firmly resting on her side. She inched her fingers up to his, , as if asking for permission. Then he turned his hand over slightly and allowed her to trace soft circles in his palm with her fingertips. She felt him settle deeper into the sofa and sigh so softly it was almost not picked up by the microphone in his helmet. Then she knitted their fingers together and pulled his arm down so their hands were resting firmly against her chest.

It proved to be the best sleep either of them had in a very long while.


	5. The Poisoned

Neither one of them spoke after they woke from their slumber. Two more wake cycles to go, then sunlight for the next three. Ino preferred the sunlight. At least it wasn’t completely dark - the sun sat low enough in the horizon to allow a small strip of pink to show for most of the day.

The village was much quieter than it had been a few hours ago. It was still early in the wake cycle though; the others were probably still sleeping. Physically, Ino was happy, she was clean and fed, but mentally she was more confused about her feelings than ever. 

The Mandalorian ducked into a shop while Ino stayed outside to admire a stall that sold fabric. After he realized she wasn’t following, he peeked his head out.“Hey, stay where I can see you.”

“Yes, father.”

“I’m serious.”

She enjoyed seeing him get a little annoyed “I’m sure you are!”

He shook his head and disappeared into the shop. Strings of beads clinked together as Din parted the curtain in order to enter. The space was small, artifacts, traveling gear, and leather maps were all covered in a fine layer of dust. 

The shopkeeper emerged from a room in the back. “Is there anything I can help you with today, sir?”

Din wasted no time “I need an orbak and a guide to get over the mountains.”

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow “for what reason?”

Din was careful not to give him any more information than necessary. “I’m traveling to the capital.”

“There is a popular route around the mountains. ”

The Mandalorian shook his head and made a sweeping gesture with his hands. “I don’t have that kind of time.”

“There is one man you can ask but…” the shopkeeper trailed off, finding it hard to put into words.

Din placed both hands on the counter and leaned forward a little “but what?” 

The shopkeeper lowered his voice. “I have not seen him for the past few weeks. His daughter - well, she has taken ill.”

“What if I were to speak with him?”

The shopkeeper was certain, “he will not go.”

“It’s for the princess” The Mandalorian interrupted “a direct order from the king.”

Eyes shifted from the wall of beskar to the golden-haired princess sitting on the stoop outside the shop. One hand was resting on her knee, propping up her head, while the other was idly tracing patterns in the dirt with a stick. 

-

“Where are we going?” Ino panted, half jogging to keep up with him. 

The Mandalorian glanced from the parchment in his hand to the rows of houses deeper in the village. “To speak with the guide and see if he can take us through the mountains.”

A two story cottage matching the number on the paper stood in the very back of the settlement. At first glance, it looked as if no one was home. Once they got closer, however, slits of amber shining through closed curtains gave away the presence of someone inside. The Mandalorian breezed up to the door and landed two sharp knocks.

There was shuffling from within, then a creaking as the door was pulled open. A man of average height and slightly above average weight was standing at the threshold. His jet black hair was styled into braids that reached his shoulders. He looked tired.

“Can I help you?” He asked cautiously.

Din was not a man of formalities. “I was told you can help us on our journey.” 

Upon hearing the word ‘us’ the man turned his head to look at Ino, then he immediately bent at the waist as a sign of respect.

A pink blush formed across her cheeks. 

The man stood up straight again and began stumbling over himself, trying to craft an apology that he felt was sufficient. “Forgive me, I didn’t realize - you here, it wasn’t something that crossed my mind.”

Ino stepped forward to assure him. “It is completely understandable, sir. Do not worry.”

“Rowan, your grace. You may call me Rowan.”

“Rowan” Ino smiled.

Rowan addressed the Mandalorian again, “what was it you needed assistance with?”

“Crossing the mountains,” Din responded. 

Rowan scratched his head and turned to look at something inside his house. He was visibly upset by the request. “Your grace, under normal circumstances it would be an honor to assist you. However, my daughter is quite sick and I would not feel comfortable leaving her for that long a trip.”

“Maybe we can help,” Din responded.

Rowan thought it over for a moment “I fear that it’s a rather unsettling sight. I would care to spare the princess from such an image.”

Ino spoke “thank you for your concern, but I believe I can handle it.”

“Of course your grace” and with that Rowan stepped aside to let them into the house. The cottage was small but extremely tidy. There was a kitchen to the left and a sitting area to the right. Across from them was a staircase that led up to the second level.

Standing in the kitchen was a woman much shorter than the rest of them. She dried her hands on the fabric of her apron while walking forward to greet them. Soft brown curls spilled out from the kerchief atop her head all the way to her lower back. She didn’t seem the least bit surprised to see the m. “Your grace” she said and gave a polite curtsy.

“This” Rowan said, placing a hand on the woman’s lower back, “is my wife Thea.”

Din rested his hands on his belt and tilted his helmet towards the woman. 

Ino could tell that he was getting antsy “may we see you’re daughter miss? We've come to help.”

Thea’s expression did not change. She wasn’t cold towards them nor was she friendly instead her presence was void of emotion entirely. “Right this way” Thea led them over to the sitting area, the logs in the fireplace cracked and popped as they passed the grate.

The girl, only fourteen, laid completely still on the sofa. Her skin took on a marble like appearance, bright blue veins twisted themselves across pale glossy flesh. Her eyes were open and clouded from the inside. The most horrifying feature however was her mouth; stuck in a completely silent state of screaming.

“What is her name?” Ino asked.

“Isabel” Rowan responded.

Ino was the first to move. Din’s arm twitched in a weak attempt to stop her as she knelt down beside the girl. Ino listened to the girls breathing, then took two fingers and placed them gently on her neck, feeling for a heartbeat…. She was very much alive. “How long has she been like this?”

“A little over a fortnight” Rowan responded.

Ino gently fixed the blanket she disturbed, then returned to a standing position. “I assume you know what from?”

A look of shame crossed Rowan's features. “Yes,” he said finally “I- never intended on-”

Din turned to address Ino “wait, you know what this is?”

“I do” Ino confirmed. “Poisoned. The nectar of a flower called Trorn.”

Rowan began to sob. “The vial I had collected- it broke open in my satchel. Later that day, I asked Isabel to retrieve my notebook from the bag, she cut herself on the glass. It was a mistake I-”

The Mandalorian straightened and placed a hand on his holster. “Why were you collecting poison?”

“I know,” Rowan said “it is not an honorable trade for a man to take -”

The Mandalorian repeated his question again, slower this time. “Why were you collecting poison?”

Rowan took a breath “to fulfil a request.”

“From who?” Din demanded. 

“In truth, I do not know. Someone high in the capital.” Rowan confessed. “I do not do this often, I promise you. Only once in a blue moon for a sum worth my while.”

Din gestured to Isabel, “was this worth your while.” 

Ino stepped in to save the room from spiraling into chaos. “There is an animal that produces a venom that, in small quantities, can reverse the effects of Trorn. This animal is…. rather difficult to capture. They live in caves and usually exist in large pacts.”

Thea spoke “and these creatures, they live close?”

“If there are caves around, possibly. It is rather hard to say for certain.”

The Mandalorian had enough of this. He started for the door “come on.”

Ino knitted her brows together and followed him. “Where are you going?”

The Mandalorian crossed the threshold of the front door. “Back to the pub, I’m sure there is someone there willing to take us.”

Ino balled up her fists and turned around in a flurry of skirts to respond to the family, “we will help you get the venom.” 

Din halted his stride and turned to face Ino. He leaned over her shoulder, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. “What are you doing?”

She matched his pitch, turning to face him “they need help.”

Din maneuvered himself in front of her and forced her to march backwards, leading her away from the front door and around to the side of the house. He wanted to make certain that nobody heard them. “Have you forgotten what we’ve come to do?”

“It can wait,” she protested. 

Din was having none of it “the longer we stay in one place the more dangerous this all becomes. There are hunters crawling all over this planet looking for you. The word is already out that you are here it’s only a matter of time before they find you. Besides, you heard him, he is working with them-”

“He is a desperate man who is narrowly managing to scrape by- that does not make him a villain. Balthar has his champions coat their swords with Trorn before duels. All of them. He gets pleasure from it, that has nothing to do with me. I cannot in good faith continue on if I know Isabel is stuck like that. Imagine if it was you? Besides, I think it would be wise to collect our bearings and figure how we are going to take Balthar down before we charge the castle on our two-man crusade.”

He hated how stubborn she was, for once he wished she would listen to him. Din couldn’t explain it, he just had a terrible feeling about all of this. “You are not obligated to save everyone. It’s too dangerous-”

Ino shook her head “Why does everyone always say that to me? I am so done with that excuse. I am fully capable- in-fact if it wasn’t for me, they would be fishing our bodies from that ravine right about now.” She took a breath to calm herself down and looked him square in the face. “I want to be something more than just a delicate little flower everybody is obligated to wait on. If I stand by and let this girl suffer, then I am no more deserving of the crown, then Balthar or the hundreds of selfish kings that came before me. Including my father. Please. Allow me to earn the respect of my people.”

How could he deny her that? He searched her eyes for a moment…. those goddamn eyes. Large, pleading, recklessly optimistic. They held enough power in them to make entire armies surrender with just one glance. Din Djarin was only one man, he was always going to lose. “Promise me something.”

Ino nodded.

“You will listen to every order I give you when we are in there. There is no room for mistakes. Got it?”

Ino beamed at him “I promise.” She would have hugged him if she could.

Din smiled beneath his helmet as well. “You are going to need to change out of that dress- go see if they have a pair of trousers you can borrow.”

Ino skipped back into the house. He watched her go, then turned his gaze upwards to the pink sky. Grogu would have loved her. The two of them together would have made an unstoppable pair. Din wondered what kind of Jedi magic the kid was being taught and how much his powers had developed since they had last seen each other. How long had it been now? Half a year or so...He hoped Grogu was happy.

“You too argue like Rowan and I.” Thea was framed in the doorway, holding a basket of damp clothing. 

The Mandalorian cleared his throat “It is my job to keep her safe.”

“And yet you hurt her.” 

Din narrowed his eyes at her “how do you mean?”

She shifted the basket from one hip to the other as she approached.

“She will rule Atlas- it is her fate. Just as it is the fate of the Mandalorians to travel and right the wrongs of the galaxy. Your paths have crossed briefly, but what will happen after you arrive in the capital?”

“She will marry the king,” Din said without hesitation. He was getting weary of this woman. 

Thea smiled, set the basket down, and started to clip the fabric to lines of twine. “People here will maintain their facade of ignorance when it comes to the dealings of our royals. However, we are not so stupid as the nobles choose to belive.” A warm wind tunneled through the rows of houses and made the clothing on the line billow outward. “There are very few people who view Balthar as our king. We stand with Princess Leucothea. Her reign will usher us into an age of peace and prosperity. Something we have not seen in many years, unfortunately. There is a storm approaching, and I bid you let it pass, do not stand in its way and allow it to falter because you are too brash with your feelings. The girl has endured nothing but misfortune all of her life. Every single person who was tasked with protecting her failed. If you truly care about her, you will not allow her to become attached. It will only serve to make her heartbreak that much more severe.” Thea picked up the now empty basket and turned to him again. “I am making a meal for you all before you leave. Would you prefer I left yours in the spare bedroom?”

“Yes” Din mumbled “thank you.”

“Of course” Thea bowed her head and made her way back inside.


	6. The Descendant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note from the author before the chapter begins: I would like to thank you all for you're continued support. I hope you know that every time someone bookmarks this story it makes me smile.I have written the next two chapters, I will edit and post them by the end of this week. Ok that's it :) I hope y'all enjoy chapter six.

It felt as though they had been swallowed by a gigantic beast. The air was heavy with moisture and the darkness so severe they would have been completely engulfed by it save for the torches they carried with them. Ino made a face as she pried the fabric of her damp tunic away from her belly. The Mandalorian, who took the role as leader of the group, was marching forward, seemingly unbothered by the heat.

Her footing gave way as her shoe hit a patch of loose gravel. She slid a little, but caught herself on the wall of the cave. Rowan, who had been walking behind her, tapped her on the shoulder. The glow of his torch illuminated the beads of sweat on his forehead. He pulled a cloth from his pocket and handed it to her. “Here wipe your hands with this.”

She took it with a smile and wiped sharp pieces of sand from her palms. When she was finished, she stuffed the cloth in her pocket, adjusted the sword slung over her back and resumed walking..

“This is why we didn’t give you a torch” The Mandalorian said dryly, not bothering to look back.

“Yes, thank you for that,” Ino mumbled, playfully annoyed. “Though in my defense, one fall should not be proof that I am too clumsy to handle a torch.”

“Eight” he shot back.

“Huh?” Ino asked.

“I’ve counted eight so far,” he repeated. Sounding too harsh for it to be a joke.

Rowan interjected to break the unpleasant tension. “Nine, actually. Remember when I set down my bag?”

Ino laughed anxiously and scratched the back of her head. The structure changed as they rounded a corner, virgin rock gave way to square tunnels.

“I thought you said this was a cave,” Din pointed out, swiping his torch across the walls to view the symbols carved into the side.

“It’s the closest thing we have in this region,” Rowan responded.

The silence within the tunnel made the world above seem unbearably loud by comparison. The only sound that could be heard was their footsteps echoing and condensation dripping onto polished stone floors.

As they passed, Ino attempted to read the runes on the wall…. though they were in some dead language never taught to her during her studies.

“What was this place used for?” Ino asked.

“A sanctuary,” Rowan responded “they built these after King Orion came to power.”

“That long ago?”

“Yes, your grace” Rowan confirmed.

“Why did they bury it so far underground?”

“So nobody could find them” Din interjected. Even though he had never stepped foot in this place, it was familiar to him.

Rowan added on, “You are correct. There are tunnels like this stretching all throughout this region. Hundreds of people lived within them to avoid being persecuted for their religious beliefs.”

The three of them walked for another few minutes until they came upon a dead end… or so it seemed. In the darkness there was a rope ladder dangling just out of reach. It hung down awkwardly, as if stuck on something. Din moved his torch upward. The top of the ledge was a good thirty five feet straight up.

“If you give me a boost I bet I can reach it,” Ino said

Both men responded in unison. “Your grace I don’t think -” “Out of the question-”

Ino started to roll up her sleeves and glanced between the two men. “Fine then, who is lifting who?”

The men turned to each other awkwardly, then both conceded. Each was far too heavy for the other to lift.

The Mandalorian handed Rowan his torch and crouched down for Ino to step into his step into his hands. Before she did, she turned to address Rowan. “If anybody ever finds out about this, I will be in enormous trouble. Can I trust you too keep this secret?”

“On my life your grace.”

With that, Ino placed a hand on The Mandalorian’s broad shoulder, then put her right food into his cupped hands. The image of him kneeling there stunned her. Her thoughts slipped into fantasy, the image of him caressing her bare leg flooded her mind. Fingers tracing from her ankle to her knee then her thigh, making her shiver-

“Are you ready?” Din asked, noticing her staring.

“Yes. Waiting for you,” she lied, thankful for the lack of light to hide the prickly blush she felt on her cheeks. The next thing she knew, she was being lifted into the air. A grunt left her lips while she strained her arms as far as they could go to reach the bottom wrung. Finally, her fingers curled around the ancient wood beam enough to allow her to pull herself onto the ladder.

She started to climb, thankful for the trousers that Thea had lent her. At first they made her feel naked, being that so much of her figure was on display. She quickly got over that fear and now absolutely reveled in the freedom they allowed her.

She reached the top of the ledge and pulled herself over.

It was far too dark to see what was in front of her, but judging by the way the sound bounced off and came back, it was probably more tunnel. The ladder was caught on a small boulder near the edge. Ino yelled a warning to the men below, “I’m going to push this down, step back.” She used her feet to push the boulder.

Then the sound of Din’s voice shouting, “Dank Ferrik!” came billowing up to her.

The rock crashed against the floor. She waited a moment. Nobody sounded injured… either that was very good or very... very bad.

Her head came poking out from atop the ledge as she looked down. The rock had landed between the two men.

“I gave a warning” Ino said meekly

“While the rock was falling,” Din snapped, understandably annoyed at nearly being crushed to death.

She was incredibly embarrassed. “Yes -well. Sorry then, my mistake.” Droids move much faster than humans, she thought.

The Mandalorian took hold of his torch once more and climbed the rungs, the rotted wooden bars creaked while he did.

Rowan was the next up the ladder. He was six feet in the air when the rope at the top snapped. Din was quick and grabbed it before the whole ladder plummeted to the ground. “The line broke, jump down.”As soon as Rowan’s feet hit the ground, Din let go.

Rowan laughed “well I guess I won’t be joining you two.”

“Wait for us here,” Din instructed “if we’re not back in a few hours then go get help.”

“Will do.”

\--

The two pressed on deeper into the tunnels. The silence between them felt incredibly awkward, so Ino took it upon herself to strike up a conversation. “I don’t know how you manage that suit. I am wearing half the clothing you are and I’m sweltering.”

He almost sounded annoyed. “We are not allowed to take it off.”

She backtracked quickly “no I wasn’t suggesting that you do. I was just trying- I like the way it looks. It fits you well…” She cringed as her words trailed off.

He did not respond.

Anxiety welled up within her. What did she do wrong? She made a mental list of all the ways she could have offended him or made him upset. She was terrible with human relationships.

Droids were easy, predictable, entirely the same from one day to the next. Humans, however…. they seemed to have no rhyme or reason to their emotions. Sometimes they made sense, other times Ino found herself completely blindsided and grappling for an explanation. This was one of those times. “If I have upset you. I would like to apologize sincerely. I’m not quite sure what I did wrong, but if you explain it to me, I promise not to do it again.”

Din stopped and turned to her, he wanted to touch her so bad. To reach out and reassure her, but the words Thea said echoed in his mind. Neither one of them could suffer another loss. It was best they just kept their interactions to a minimum. “These things that produce the poison, how do we know when we find them?”

She paused, trying to collect herself. “There called Sastrith, The books I’ve read described them as slightly humanoid in appearance though they crawl on all fours and have a large jaw that they can unhinge at will. There is a retractable barb in their palms that they use to inject their prey.”

The Mandalorian nodded and turned away. Ino dropped her head and trailed behind, silently giving herself a mental lashing for whatever stupid thing she must have done to warrant such rejection.

\----

The two rounded the corner, and the sight before them made them both stop and stare. The small tunnel had opened up into an enormous cavern, hundreds of feet tall. Inside was a fortress, built out of black granite and shining with thousands upon thousands of bioluminescent flowers. As if some god had harvested the night sky and placed it in a bottle for those refugees to find solace in. It exuded a blue glow so bright Din didn’t need his torch; he placed it in sconce embedded next to him in the wall.

Ino placed a hand to her chest, feeling as though a thousand pound weight had been dropped onto her. Suddenly she was fighting for air. She wheezed in a strangled breath that caught Din’s attention.

He dropped his hardened exterior in an instant. “Hey-” The Mandalorian said, reaching out to her. She dodged his advance and braced herself against the mouth of the tunnel instead.

“Leucothea-’’

She shook her head “Ino.”

“Ino” he repeated, his voice soothing. “Here, sit.” Powerful hands took hold of her shoulders with a feather light touch and eased her onto the floor with him. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s- fuck-” she hissed frustration, her chest still heaving up and down. No matter how much air she took in, she didn’t feel satisfied. “Its-”

“Breathe Ino” a glove hand took hold of hers, while the other smoothed down her hair. “With me, ready?”

She nodded and sucked in a slow breath with him, then out again. They repeated this several times until her heart rate fell and the weight on her chest was lifted.

“This was my family’s fault,” Ino whispered. “Generations of people lived their entire lives here without ever seeing the sun because of things my family did. ”

“That was a long time ago,” he reassured her.

“I can’t become like them.”

“You won’t”

“It is the curse of this crown - all who wear it turn into monsters- I don’t want it if that’s my fate-”

“Ino-” he moved his hand from her head down to her cheek. Her brows knit together and her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into his touch. “You will not become like them-”

“I fear it’s not that simple.”

He sighed, and to her dismay, gently pulled his hand away from her face to stand. He unclipped something on his belt, pressed a button, then out shot the strangest item Ino had ever seen. It was paradoxical in its design, devoid of light and yet glowing white hot at the edges. It cut through the air and reverberated a dull sound as he wielded it. “Whoever wins this sword in battle is deemed ruler of Mandalore”

Ino blinked, utterly bewildered “... and you?”

“Yes'' Din pressed another button, causing it to vanish as fast as it appeared. He clipped it back onto his belt and knelt down once more. Gently, he took her hand in his and spoke to her in a language she had never heard. “Kot cuyir oyay, par te kovid ganar te staabi at rule. ijaat cuyir oyay, par ti nayc ijaat solus may sa pirusti cuyir dead. loyalty cuyir oyay, par ures solus’s clan solus has nayc narser.”

She swallowed hard, looking up into that dark visor of his only to see her own face reflected back at her. He continued, “the Canons of Honor. It is a code all Mandalorians must follow. Strength is life, for the strong have the right to rule. Honor is life, for with no honor one may as well be dead. Loyalty is life, for without one’s clan one has no purpose. I didn’t choose this power, neither did you. This fate was chosen for us and must be protected by us - because only those who fear power will never be corrupted by it.”

She sat up on her knees a little “It never seems like you fear anything.”

“You’d be wrong,” he confessed.

“Do you fear me?”

She noticed his shoulders stiffen slightly.

Suddenly a crash could be heard within the city. The two of them looked up, then back at each other. They were not alone.


	7. The Infected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Really graphic deceptions of gore/violence... this chapter was inspired by the Last of Us (I have a fan fiction of TLOU in the works as well after I am done with this.) Okay enjoy 3.

Stone bridges carried them across the water surrounding the city. Magma chambers just beneath the surface heated the water to boiling temperatures. The two of them charged on until they reached the mouth of the city. Scratching, scuttering and tapping could be heard all around them as they threaded carefully between the labyrinth of buildings.

The next few moments happened so fast neither one of them had time to react. One second Din was above ground and the next he was plummeting below it. Massive chunks of solid granite rained down on him. Din managed a roll at the very last second and dodged the worst of the debris. He let out a deep groan and wiped soot off of his armor as he stood.

"Are you okay?" Ino asked, trying to peer through the cloud of dust from above.

"Never better," he grunted, dull pain shooting up his back. Beskar was unpleasant to land on, granite would have been softer. He looked at his surroundings. Directly in front of him was a mold ridden tapestry and a rotten straw bed. He must have been in some underground dwelling. To the left was a hallway lit by more flowers…. the city was overrun by them."I'll find a way back up- just stay there."

Ino wanted to argue, but remembered the promise she made him. "Alright, please be careful" she said then watched as he unholstered his gun and disappeared into the dark cavern below. She deployed her own weapon. The metallic hiss echoing through the city as she pulled it from its sheath.

Her feet stayed planted, her sweaty palm held tight around the hilt of her weapon while she waited for him. She was never quite aware just how long a minute really was until she was forced to endure them like this. Each second dragged for an eternity, while the noises high above her seemed to grow even louder in his absence.

"Ino."

Finally, she thought.

She lowered her sword and followed his voice into a crumbling building. She sighed in relief as she saw a flash of beskar climb the stares and disappear. Her legs felt heavy and the sword in her hand sagged as she reached the second level. He was standing with his back to her, looking out the window while she approached. Upon hearing her, he pivoted and closed the gap between them, taking her by the waist and pulling her into a tight hug. "Are you alright?"

Ino thought it weird, but wasn't complaining. "Yes. Are you?"

He pulled back slightly and placed a hand on her cheek like before. "Close your eyes" there was an urgency to his voice. Before she had time to speak, he had already taken the sword from her and placed it on the ground.

Ino was extremely confused "why? Are you hurt?"

"No" he said, stepping to the side and boxing her in between the stone table and the wall. He took hold of her shoulders and spun her so she was facing away from him. His voice was soothing "Just trust me."

She placed two hands on the table, steadying herself. Alarm bells were going off in her mind. Something wasn't quite right. She was going to protest when she felt his hand push her golden curls away and lean so close his hot breath tickled her neck. "Mando I think we should wait until

"Breathe Ino-" he shoved her hard against the table.

Her hip bones dug in painfully into the side. She whimpered and attempted to push herself up. He reacted to this pushback by taking a hand to her throat and squeezing much too hard. She gasped and struggled beneath the weight of him. Thinking quickly, she grabbed the dagger hidden within her boot and jabbed backwards.

It hit its mark, connecting deeply with something soft and fleshy in texture. The moment she felt his grip on her loosen, she kicked back and lunged for her sword. The thing standing before her was not The Mandalorian, at least not fully. She watched in horror as it morphed into a humanoid creature, with dark slits for eyes and a large jaw. Multiple rows of razor-sharp teeth jutted from it. It pounced at her, nearly reaching her….only stopping when it connected with the hilt of her sword. It had impaled itself fully through the chest. She stayed frozen like that, two hands held out in front of her, watching as this creature fought against death until the very end.

When it finally stopped moving, she threw its limp body to the side. Her legs quivered and failed her multiple times until she forced herself to a standing position. The creature's black blood dripped disgustingly down the front of her tunic. This wasn't in her studies. None of this was. Had she known they harbored this ability, she would have never suggested this trip. She knew she needed to find Mando, but there was one thing to do first, lest this entire trip had been in vain.

Gagging, she pulled the sword from the creature's body, then took its wrist in her hand. She pushed a boot into its shoulder and made a cut just below the armpit. The arm came loose with a solid yank- emitting a wet crunch as tendons snapped and the joint popped from its socket.

She tied the arm to her belt and took off running down the stairs. Her mind still racing with how those autopsy books could have gotten these creatures so wrong. It hit her in an instant, the flowers. "Mando!" she called, darting into the street. "The spores from the flowers! They cause hallucinations! The Sastriths use them to mimic! Don't trust them! Mando! "

Shit Shit Shit- where was he!?

She reached the crater where he had fallen, got down on her stomach and threw her legs over the edge. One hand held onto the ledge before she dropped, wobbling slightly but landing on her feet. She took off sprinting down the hallway he disappeared in. "Mando! Mando!" a sharp blow to the side of her head caused her to fall and crash against the wall.

Another Sastrith had her pinned - it unhinged its jaw and screamed at her…. it was her own scream…. It threw her own scream back at her. This caused a flip to switch in her mind.

How dare this thing taunt her?

She let out a guttural yell, took her sword and forced it through the creature's skull. With a flick of her wrist, it cracked in two and tumbled into a pile of oozing flesh beneath her. "Doshin' fucking bitch" she growled. Her veins held pure fire as she continued on her mission to find The Mandalorian. Watching that creature's life drain from its eyes made her feel powerful. Today was not the day she died she decided.

Two more Sastriths lunged at her, but she killed them easily with a jab at their guts and an upward pullback. She continued on, careful not to slip on the contents that spilled out of their abdomen.

She found herself in a dining hall. Large wooden tables, covered with spores and dust, stood crumbling throughout the room. She heard him before she saw him.

"Ino." He was slumped against the wall on the far side of the room. Even from this distance, she could tell how heavily he was breathing. A strained voice came sounding through his modulator "H-help."

How would she know? She had never felt so incredibly helpless in her life. Having to watch him struggle like this… "I need to know it's you," she approached him with great caution. "You have to take off the helmet."

He shook his head weakly and coughed "c-can't"

Blind terror ripped through her as he dropped his blaster and let his helmet sink lifelessly to his chest.

This broke her. Against her better judgment, she rushed to him. "Please, please please" she begged, dropping to her knees, placing two hands on either side of his helmet and pulling. His arms jerked up, leather sliding smoothly over her skin. An ear-splitting scream left her lips at the feeling of her hand being ripped open. Hot liquid poured into her wound and started pumping upwards through her arm. She jerked away and crawled towards her swords she had let fall.

The Sastrith was right behind her; a clawed hand came up and wrapped itself against her ankle, pulling her away. It flipped her onto her back. She forced her arm as far as it would go, fingers just inches away from the metal.

The Sastrith just barely managed to draw blood when she brought the sword up and landed a powerful strike to the side of the creature's head. It fell back, stunned. In a blind rage, she threw herself on top of it, lifted both hands above her head, and brought the metal down on the creature's face. It screamed. Ino repeated this motion once, twice, eight times, fifteen… The pain in her arm fueled each devastating hit. In the back of her mind she knew the thing was dead, but she kept going. Blood spattered on her face, in her mouth, across the floor. Nothing stopped her attack on the now faceless husk that was the monster.

A hand landed on her shoulder. She whipped around, slashed at it. Metal scraped against metal in a high-pitched shriek. She did it again and again until the sword was wrestled from her grasp by The Mandalorian. He placed two hands on her shoulders to calm her "it's me - it's me. Ino."

She retreated, kicking back on her feet and falling. Her face was twisted with anger as she yelled, "get the fuck back!"

"No, here look" he took hold of the dark saber on his belt and deployed it. "See?"

It took her a moment to trust the information given to her. She eventually gave in, falling to a pathetic pile on the floor and shaking violently with sobs. Din's arms wrapped around her and immediately she knew it was him. He held her to his chest, her face buried in the brown fabric of his tunic. "I thought you died," she sputtered.

His hold on her grew tighter, fingers coming to brush against her rib cage. He lowered his helmet to nuzzle the side of her neck. "It's okay, you're okay. I got you. I'm right here."

She pushed him away, doubled over and vomited blood onto the floor. He moved to reach for her, but she put a hand up for him to stay back, only to retch again and choke out more. He caught her just as she slipped towards the floor, her eyes rolled beneath half-closed lids. The last thing she could hear was his terrified voice calling out to her before everything went black.


	8. The Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ugh I loved writing this chapter, I hope ya’ll like reading it. Din really allowed himself to be vulnerable in this one. Thank you for everybody who liked and followed!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Blood/ Angst / Mentions of Death

The next few hours came to Ino in pieces, 

Mando carrying her, the light of Rowan’s torch bouncing a head of them as they ran through the tunnels…….The night sky shining with a multitude of stars…... Beskar reflecting flickering candlelight in a dark room…..Voices to whom she could not place whispering in a corner away from her……. Then cold, freezing unforgiving cold that seemed to seep into her bones and embed itself within the marrow.

Her eyes fluttered open, and for the first time in several hours she was able to gain some semblance of awareness. She gasped and tried to sit up-

Din shushed her lightly, his voice pure velvet. “You’re ok. Stay there, just rest-” 

She breathed a sigh once she heard him. She knew she was dying. Every ounce of strength she had possessed had left her, replaced by a feeling of heaviness.

The princess watched as bare hands dipped a cloth rag into the tub she was in and slowly squeezed out the water. It snaked itself down his uncovered forearm and dripped onto his pants. She realized then that the only piece of armor he had on was his helmet.

“Scandalous” she croaked out, “you’re practically naked…. Though not as much as me, I suppose.” She tried to laugh but felt a sharp pain piercing her lungs. 

“The doctor said we have to get your fever down.” 

Din placed the cool rag on her forehead, her skin pricked up into goosebumps at the feeling. “Isabel?” She asked.

“Back to normal,” he responded “thanks to you.” 

Her eyelids were heavy, “I feel cold.”

“I know. Just a little while longer.”

-

They sat for a long time in silence together. The sound of him breathing through the modulator was incredibly comforting. Every so often he would smooth down her hair or dip the cloth in the water when it got to warm. The room was heavy with a sense of foreboding. There was no more rush or panic to be had…. all they had left to do was wait for fate to make a final decision. It was worth it; she thought. If she died tonight, it all would have been worth it. 

“Mando?” An almost inaudible whimper left her lips as she lifted her hand. He met her halfway and entwined their fingers. Blood from her throat dripped onto her lip as she spoke. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Anything,” he said, taking a separate cloth that had been resting on his leg and using it to clean her mouth. 

She opened her eyes to look at him “your name?” 

He waited. Brown eyes looking into her blue - he was certain that those eyes would be branded across his soul for a lifetime. He would find himself coming back to them on lonely trips through hyperspace…. between crowded marketplace stalls when he caught a glimpse of gold hair….. He so desperately wished that he had more time with them….He should have never left her alone…. “Din.”

Her lips just barely pull themselves into a weak smile. “Din” she repeated. “It’s lovely.” Another coughing fit shook her small frame. She sat up a little, wheezing and choking up more blood into the tub. Din placed the rag to her mouth and rubbed circles into her back while she fought her way through it. 

He did not believe in a god. Yet had spent hours silently praying to every single deity, demigod, maker, saint and spirit of each planet he knew, In the slightest hope that just one would hear him and take pity on her. When she finished, he placed a palm on the back of her neck, and gently settled her back into the cool water. 

She swallowed hard, “one more thing?” 

“Of course.”

“....kiss me?”

There was a long span of silence that followed. Then slowly he moved. He placed her hand he had been holding back down beside her. The chair he was sitting on groaned against the floorboard as his weight shifted. His damp palm came up to caress the side of her face, not wanting to startle her, before moving to cup over her eyes. The next sound she heard was a dull thud beside her. His helmet now rested on the floor. After that, another hand made its way underneath her chin, tilting her head to the side just enough to allow him access. He hesitated, his face hovering just inches away from her own. Drops of water rolled down her cheeks, still flushed pink with fever.

He moved in and allowed his lips to just brush against her’s. The feeling of his breath on her skin warmed her a little. He smelled sweet, though for no particular reason. It was simply that natural sent humans harbored that was unique from one person to the next. His mustache tickled the top of her lip while she whispered to him, “say something first.”

She felt him smile “What would you like me to say?”

She shivered as the sound of his unfiltered voice reverberated back at her in a chocolate base note that made her heart ache. “Something in Mandalorian.”

He thought for a minute then, “Gar cuyir mesh’la”

Ino let out an unsteady breath. “Gar cuyir mesh’la” she repeated, though she did not know what it meant. To her dismay, sleep attempted to take hold of her again. Like caught in a riptide , she looked out at shore only to notice that it was retreating rapidly. It was a matter of time before waves would pull her back and force her beneath the surface.

Din noticed her fading, “Are you ready?” 

She gave a small nod. He closed the space between and pressed his lips to hers. He was extremely gentle with her, not wanting to be the cause of more pain. Her lips were cracked and wet from the bath. Ino parted her mouth a little, Din took this as a sign to deepen the kiss. She tasted like blood and poison, bitter but not unpleasant.

He allowed himself to linger there, trying his very hardest to remember every detail of this moment. Though no matter how much he tried, the seconds continued to slip through his fingers. He grew more and more terrified that he would forget how she felt. He pulled back just slightly, then nuzzled the side of her cheek with his own. God, he couldn’t look at everything hard enough. A steady stream of air filled his lungs while the hand under her chin came to rest on her collarbone. He did not want it to end. He physically couldn’t bring himself to pull away from her. A twinge of frustration clawed its way into his mind. He felt angry with the universe for torturing her, with the Sastrith who attacked her….. but mostly with himself for being so goddamn negligent.

A cold breeze flooded her skin as he pulled away. His helmet was placed back on and his hand uncovered her eyes. She tried her best to open them again but failed. “thank you.”

He brushed his thumb over her cheekbone, “it’s okay to go to sleep Ino.”

Her voice was just barely audible “I’m scared.” 

Her words struck him in the chest. Fuck, he was terrified she wouldn’t wake up. “I will be right here, I promise. I’ll wake you up if something happens. Go to sleep, it’s okay.”

With his words of affirmation, she allowed herself to lose the battle and slip back into the darkness.

Din sat by her side and made sure she was still breathing for the rest of the night. In the early hours of the morning, he noticed her skin grow colder and her body start to shiver. Her fever had finally broken. He took her up in his arms, her little form trembling as the cold air engulfed her. He placed her gently in the bed and crawled beside her. After a while she warmed up and slept peacefully, curled up against him and buried under the mountain of blankets. He held onto her tightly and closed his eyes, thanking whatever force had answered his prayers.


	9. The Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ino and Din spend the day preparing for their trip through the mountains. More of Ino’s family history is reveled and a new member joins their expedition. Meanwhile Din grapples with his feelings towards the princess and what will become of their relationship once they reach the capital. (Heavy GoT inspo for this chapter. Enjoy)

Rays from an early summer sun nearly blinded her while she used her tiptoes to peer over the small balcony. Through the thorns and bristles of rose bushes she saw them.

Small ballet slippers tapped against the long dusty halls of the palace as she ran along, past guards, servants and all. The droids did nothing but turn and look at the blur of bright blue skirts passing them by. “Mother!” the princess wailed in excitement. 

Through the bars of a cast Iron gate, Ino’s mother turned and smiled gently at her. She was being escorted by two human guards, their bodies shrouded from head to toe in muted green and lilac, the colors of Balthar’s family. Ino could not wear such colors until after her wedding night. They were reserved for soldiers who had taken an oath or those bound to the family by blood and marriage. Two nanny droids that had been following Ino moved passed the princess and stood by the gate, one on each side. They raised spear-like objects, each with an electric charge snapping and cracking at the end. Ino kept her distance.

“Happy Birthday little one” her mother said. Every year that Ino saw her, she looked as though she had aged ten. Her hair, once a brilliant gold - now harbored large streaks of white, while deep lines etched themselves into sun-kissed freckled skin.…. and yet, she remained the most beautiful woman on Atlas. Her pride and tranquility made people from all over stop and gaze at the rightful queen of the realm. “Are you excited for the parade, my sweet girl?”

Ino shook her head. “I wish to stay and speak with you.”

Her mother’s brows knit together. “Look for me in the crowd. I will be right there watching with everyone else.”

Ino nodded, though she had tears in her eyes. 

Her mother reached into a satchel slung across her chest and pulled out an item wrapped in parchment. She handed it to one of the droids through the gate; it passed the gift to the princess. 

Ino tore it open with such vigor that the item fell onto the floor. She threw the paper to the side, then knelt down to pick it up. Laying in her hands was a steel blue pillow in the shape of a fish. The craftsmanship was exquisite…. it must have taken weeks. Each individual scale had been lovingly stitched with shimmering gold thread. Ino ran her small fingers over the ridges and curves of the doll, then hugged it to her chest. 

Her mother continued. “On the inside, I have placed a small bag. It holds an earring. The same as this-” she brushed her hair behind her ear to reveal a shimmering pearl stud. “Even though they are separated, they still belong to the same pair. When you get upset, my sweet girl, take this in your arms and I will feel it. Pretend that it is me there with you.”

A horn blew in the distance while thousands of people cheered outside the palace gates; a signal that the parade was starting. “Hold your head high my daughter, they may take everything in this world away from you but one thing they can never touch is your honor…. not unless you allow it. We will be together one day, I promise.” 

“Mother!” Ino screamed and ran forward. 

“Look for me, my sweet girl-”

A droid reached out to stop her, preventing her from being crushed by the large oak doors as they swung closed with a loud thud. 

-

She rolled over and blinked away the haze of sleep. 

“How do you feel?” Sitting on a chair at the opposite side of the room was The Mandalorian. He had his weapons splayed out across the table, methodically shining and cleaning each little piece.

“Hungry” she rasped out and tried to sit up. 

Din was on his feet in an instant, moving over to her and propping up a few pillows underneath her back. “I’ll see what they have for you to eat. There are clean clothes on the bedside table…. I’ll be right back.” 

He left the room to allow her some privacy. His mind was a battleground of emotions that he was not equipped to process, so he did the only thing he knew how: pretend as if they weren’t there in the first place. Din had already failed to protect her once; it was bound to happen again if he kept getting distracted. He was a Mandalorian; he needed to start acting like one. 

-

Most of the day was spent preparing for their trip through the mountains. Din knew that Ino wasn’t better just yet, she got winded from doing even the most basic of tasks. He also knew that no amount of protest would make her stop helping them. Her stubbornness bordered on stupidity at times. 

Thea noticed this as well. “Your grace?” she asked, as Ino came huffing down the stairs with another box much too heavy for her to carry. “Would you be willing to help me? I have to go to market today and usually Isabel would travel with me. However, she is still recovering and not strong enough for such a task. Would you mind keeping an eye on her while I am gone? It should not take more than a few hours at most.”

“We can play dolls!” Isabel chimed in, holding up a bag of wooden figures complete with handmade clothing and carved furniture.

The princess set the box down on the table, unable to hide the giddiness in her voice “of course, I would be delighted.” The two girls retreated into the backyard, giggling excitedly the entire way.

Din tilted his helmet towards Thea and picked up the box on the table, “thank you.”

Thea smiled and tied a small coin purse to her belt. “Has Rowan mentioned anything about the new member of your expedition?”

“Yes, one of his students.” 

“And this is not a problem for you?”

Din shifted uncomfortably. Why did this woman unnerve him so? “I trust your husband’s judgment. Besides, we could use an extra pair of hands.”

“This is true,” she agreed.

“Then why does it seem as though you have something else to tell me?”

Thea shrugged as she passed him, “you misunderstand me, sir. I wish only to confirm with you on behalf of my husband.”

Din was not fully convinced but he did not beg for an answer.

-

The sun was still high in the sky when evening rolled around. Traveling through the mountain during the dark cycles would be needlessly dangerous, and so they agreed to set off on their trip that night. 

“Is that everything?” Ino asked. 

“Considering we spent all day packing, I hope so” a voice said. A woman emerged from behind the orbaks. She was slender but strong and graceful in her movements. Her hair, the color of copper, matched the skin tight leather armor she dawned. Her inky black eyes landed on Ino. She flashed the princess a smile and dipped into a polite curtsy “your grace. My name is Adella Hart. It is an honor to assist you in your travels.”

“Adella is a student of mine,” Rowan clarified. “She is one of the very best.”

“Well,” the princess said, “thank you for your assistance.”

Rowan clapped his hands together “right, well we are off then.” 

Ino turned to where Thea stood in the doorway. “Thank you for letting us stay in your home. You have been most gracious towards us.”

“Please,” Thea said, “I only wish that I could have done more to thank you. Good luck on your Journey Leucothea, you are never a stranger here. Should you ever want for anything, please write to us. Same goes for you, Mandalorian.”

Din, who was standing next to her, gave a brief nod. 

Ino felt a warmth in her chest, “we will.” 

Isabel stepped from behind her mother. A bundle of fabric was stacked in her hands. She offered them to the princess “these are for you guys.” 

Ino reached down to take the bundles. She passed one to Din as well. They both unfolded the fabric and realized what it was. A black shawl topped with the softest fur Ino had ever felt. In thread, placed over the right breast, was her family sigil. A steel blue fish swimming inside of a flaming gold star. The Delmare house words wrapped around it: “Gold in peace, steel in war.” Din’s was nearly the same, except he had the addition of his Clan Mudhorn emblem sewn beside it. “Thank you” Ino murmured. The two women shared one last glance before Ino and Din turned and headed towards the orbaks.

“Your sigil looks good in my family’s colors” Ino mused quietly. 

Din just grunted, his face burning with embarrassment. He held onto the animal’s saddle, steadying it while Ino pulled herself up and swung a leg over.


	10. Chapter Ten: The Bastard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Synopsis: Adella and Din grow closer while Ino has second thoughts about the whole plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adella may or may not be inspired by a certain sand snake that did not make it into the TV series.

“Was it the attack of Aq Vetina?”

Din nodded slowly. “.... You know a lot about the galaxy.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Adella asked.

Din shook his head “no. It’s just, on this planet-”

“-Nobody really cares?” The Mandalorian’s silence was confirmation enough. “It is a good thing, I guess. We keep to our little corner of the outer rim, only ever destroying our own people.” She bit her lip and looked on ahead, her body bobbing up and down with each lazy step of the Orbak. “I don’t know. Sometimes it frustrates me that nobody seems to care what goes on out there. I can’t tell you how many dark cycles I spent, laying out in the yard and looking up at the stars. I can map this sky by memory... the universe is just so big and I can’t help but feel as though I am missing out.”

“It is mostly empty space,” Din said dully. 

Adella chuckled “and would you ever give it up?”

Din flicked his eyes to where Ino was riding a little way ahead of them. They had not spoken at all in the last few hours; he wondered what she was thinking about and if she was warm enough. “No,” he breathed. 

“See?” the copper haired girl laughed. “My father wouldn’t either….. I guess that is proof that things must be pretty great up there.”

“He wasn’t born here?” 

“No. Apparently - ok, so I know this sounds impossible, but I am only repeating what was told to me. Apparently my father was a Jedi. He was supposed to come back so he could teach me how to be a warrior like him... but, well, you can see that he never did.” 

Din pulled on the reins of his mount to avoid a small boulder in the path. “Did you ever find out why?”

She shrugged “no, maybe he forgot….or maybe he was just some con man who wanted a quick fuck. Some men will say anything to get laid.”

Din smirked, but did not address her last statement. “What about your mother? Did you ask her?”

“You know, I never thought about that- I’ll send an owl for her as soon as we get to camp.”

“....you’re being sarcastic.” 

She laughed and let her inky black eyes explore the length of his body for a moment. “Brains and beauty, that is a dangerous combo Mandalorian…. but no- I never got the chance to ask her. She died when I was ten, but she had been sick for a long time before that.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. 

Adella turned her head to gaze out over the edge of the cliff face. From this height, not much was visible through the thick of grey clouds. “Do you ever wonder what life would be like if they lived?”

“Sometimes,” he confessed, “mostly I just hope I have been able to make them proud.”

“That’s a good way to think of it …..and hey, when you get back up there, maybe ask around for me? Who knows, maybe someone will remember an Athena Paramount.” 

Din tilted his helmet a little “I thought you said your name was Hart?”

“It’s a bastard’s name. Out of seven sisters I am the youngest and the only Hart.” Adella raked a hand through her hair, they were getting to the point in the mountains where they could see a light dusting of snow. “All of them are married now anyway, scattered throughout Atlas and holding titles like duchess, lady, dame, countesses... or something to that effect. I think they got scared when mother fell ill since their father had already passed….. I have lost touch with most.”

“And you didn’t want that?” Din asked.

Adella glanced at him, “to lose touch with them?” 

“To marry” Din clarified. 

“Oh maker no” she said without hesitation. “I could never willingly bind myself to any one person. There is so much life to be had and things to see. So many beds to warm and people to love…...no, never just one.”

“If you would like, once I deliver the princess to the capital - maybe you could come with me. I can teach you to fight and…., I actually know of a few Jedi, maybe they will know something about your father.”

Adella flashed him a grin “was it the bed comment that swayed you?”

His face flushed beneath the helmet. “N-no I- I can see now how that must have come off-”

She laughed “-relax Mando, I’m only joking. And I would love to.”

He glanced up at Ino again. Her gold curls were bouncing up and down like little metal springs. He could see by the way her shoulders sagged forward that she was exhausted.

Adella moved her animal closer to him, “so tell me about these Jedi you know.”

Din’s voice trailed off as he launched into the tale of the little green bean who sent him on an odyssey throughout the galaxy. Ino listened from her orbak, she was feeling very unwell. Each step of the animal felt like someone was driving spikes into her back with a hammer. She just wished to get off this damn thing so she could go to sleep. A shiver ran down the back of her neck. She shut her eyes and pulled her cloak tighter around herself. 

-

“Are you okay?” Din asked. He held the reins of Ino’s mount to steady it. The princess sat perched atop, still trying to find the strength to get down.

“Yes” she responded. It was clear from her appearance that she was lying.

Din glanced in front of her to where Rowan and Adella were setting up the tents. “Here,” he placed his hands on her waist while she moved hers to his shoulders. He lifted her off the animal and kept her steady once her feet touched the icy ground. 

She murmured words of gratitude but did not lift her head to look up at him. When she turned to unclasp the hooks securing the sleeping bag to the mount Din held up a hand to stop her. “I can do this, go sit by the fire” his voice was not gentle like it normally was.

“I want to help,” she responded. 

“You can help by not dying. Now go Leucothea.”

“Ino” she corrected, sounding a bit hurt. 

Din was not in the mood for this back and forth “go.”

Ino did not respond, she just turned and reached for the straps again.

He lowered his voice, “I am too tired for this. Please, just go lay down.”

Ino stomped her foot on the ground “I am capable.”

“You’re acting like a child.” 

In the back of her mind she knew he was right, however she allowed her stubbornness to take hold of her. “Let me then.” Alarm bells were going off in her mind. What was going on? Why was he acting like this suddenly? “What I do shouldn’t be of any concern to you Din Djarin-”

He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. The orbak huffed, Din removed his hands immediately and leaned in close. His voice was a deadly calm, “I did not give you permission to call me that-”

The guilt cut through her immediately; it was a cheap blow. “I-”

“-And what you do is my concern -”

Why were they fighting right now? “I’m sorry I promise I won’t do that again. I just don’t know if I want this anymore. The crown, the- everything I don’t ... The more I think about going back there, the more unhappy I become.”

Mando gave away absolutely nothing. Ino wished she could see what was happening behind that stone cold exterior. “You have to.” 

“But what if I don’t? What if I just left with you-” She shook her head and reached for his hand, but he recoiled.

Din knew that he had messed up. Thea was right, he should have never gotten her hopes up. It was cruel of him. He knew full well how their stories were going to end, and yet he still pursued her. “You have thousands of people counting on you.”

“The same people who stood by and watched for years- while Balthar subjected me to that torture? Everybody knew, nobody cared.”

This all felt so wrong. He couldn’t let these people suffer because he was selfish and desperate for connection. “They would have been killed and you know that. You said it yourself, he will not rest until he gets you….. and think about your sister.”

Her face changed, he had hit the weak spot in her armor. “My sister is dead” she said slowly “a petty revenge quest does not change that fact.”

“Princess-”

She was begging at this point “my name is Ino dammit!” 

“If you give up, then I will have no choice but to keep with the original plan.”

Her breath hitched in her throat, “you wouldn’t dare.”

His voice was unapologetic. “It has nothing to do with you. There is something I need that the capital holds-”

Ino looked at him as if he had gone mad. “What could you possibly need that would justify-”

“A ship.”

She was stunned silent. All of this….. for a ship? Him condemning her to a life of suffering for a hunk of metal. Nothing made sense to her anymore. A few hours ago she had thought they were fine, and now he was acting the same way he did the first few days of the trip. Why was this happening? What had she done?

He continued, “I made a promise to the people of my creed and I will not break it. That ship that Balthar has is the key to successfully liberating Mandalore from the empire. You may be fine with abandoning your people….. but I am not. This goes much deeper than you, then any of us.”

“.... and helping me is only to have a clear conscience. Because if you surrender me to Balthar then that would make you no better than the empire.”

“Yes”

She felt as though he had stabbed her in the chest. It was all a game. Every single moment of genuine connection was nothing but a perverted political tactic. How could she have been so naïve to believe that he actually cared for her? She knew things were moving too fast, but she just couldn’t help herself. She wanted to be loved so badly that she let this desire cloud her judgement. He should have let her die. It would have been more bearable than this. 

Tears stung her eyes. She swallowed hard, determined not to let him see her cry. Her voice was as sharp as a blade. “Fine. We will reach the capital, kill the king, then you will take your ship and go…. but if you so much as enter the atmosphere of this planet after that day, then I will have you shot down on sight. Now step aside so I can get my sleeping bag and retire to my tent you doshin tin can.”

The Mandalorian allowed her to pull the roll of fabric down. He was completely still, save for the rise and fall of his chest while he watched her go.

Ino held her head high while she walked to her tent. Ignoring the stabbing pains and the feeling of lightheadedness that threatened to overtake her. As soon as she was safely inside of the tent, she put a hand over her mouth and cried. When she realized it wasn’t enough, she grabbed at the fabric of her cloak and bit down on it hard. Stumbling through the darkness of the tent, she found the little cot on the floor and pulled herself onto it. Once in a sitting position, she clutched the sleeping bag to her chest while she rocked back and forth, trying to soothe the ache pulling at her body.


End file.
